House Extensions & Renovations in Swadlincote

Renovating an older Swadlincote house

Swadlincote grew on coal and clay. Collieries, brickworks and pipe works shaped the town, and the streets around the centre are mostly late Victorian and Edwardian, in smooth red brick and terracotta. Houses of that age often need more than one job: a kitchen extension at the back, a new bathroom, and wiring and heating that are long past their best.

A full rewire is notifiable work under the building regulations, so it’s inspected and certified when it’s done. Because our electricians, plumbers and plasterers work as one team, the rewire, the new heating and the replastering happen in the right order, and walls are opened up once rather than three times. See our home renovations page for how a whole-house project runs.

The conservation area and its Article 4 direction

South Derbyshire District Council handles planning, and building regulations go through the Central Building Control Partnership. The town centre is a conservation area, first designated in 1990 and extended in 2001, covering High Street, West Street, Market Street, Midland Road, Church Street, Alexandra Road, Belmont Street and Coppice Side.

• What it controls An Article 4 direction covers most alterations and extensions to houses in the conservation area, including replacement windows and doors.
• What it means Work that would normally be permitted development, such as a small rear extension or new uPVC windows, needs planning permission here.
• Outside it Beyond the conservation area, the normal permitted development rules usually apply, unless the house is listed or a planning condition has removed them.

Mining ground in Newhall and Woodville

The town lies on the Leicestershire and South Derbyshire coalfield, and the Coal Authority’s development high-risk area takes in the centre, Newhall and Woodville. Rawdon Colliery closed in 1993. A formal coal mining risk assessment isn’t needed for a householder extension, but we look at the mining report for your address before deciding how deep the foundations go.

Radon is rarely a concern: around the centre and Woodville it’s in the lowest band, with under 1 per cent of homes above the action level. Much of the old industrial land is now part of the National Forest, including Swadlincote Woods on the site of the former pipe works.

Guide prices

• £25,000–£60,000 Single-storey extension
• From £27,500 Velux loft conversion
• £8,000–£15,000 Single garage conversion
• From £2,500 Downstairs WC

Rewiring, heating and full renovations are priced per house after a visit. We also fit kitchens and bathrooms, and build extensions and loft conversions. Finance is available, subject to status.

Swadlincote questions

Do you rewire houses in Swadlincote?

Yes, usually as part of a wider renovation. A full rewire is notifiable under the building regulations, so it's tested and certified on completion, and we plan it alongside the plumbing and plastering so the walls are only opened once.

Do I need planning permission for new windows in Swadlincote?

If your house is in the town centre conservation area, yes. South Derbyshire's Article 4 direction there covers most alterations, including replacement windows and doors. Outside the conservation area, like-for-like windows don't normally need permission.

Is my house in a coal mining high-risk area?

If it's in the town centre, Newhall or Woodville, it may well be. The Coal Authority's mining report for your address shows any recorded workings, and we check it before designing the foundations.

Who handles building regulations in Swadlincote?

South Derbyshire District Council's building control service is part of the Central Building Control Partnership. We submit the application and arrange the inspections.

Which parts of Swadlincote do you cover?

The whole town, including Church Gresley, Goseley, Midway, Newhall, Oversetts and Woodville.